Achieving net-zero by 2050 hinges on the development of catalysts - materials that accelerate chemical reactions without being consumed. Catalysts are vital in industries like energy, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals. In nanoparticle form, their high surface area to volume ratio and nanoscale properties enhance efficiency and tunability. However, a catalyst’s performance is determined by multiple parameters, including size, shape, strain, and composition, which remain poorly understood and are very hard to measure. Over the past several decades, research by the Nellist group at Oxford University, alongside other leading academic institutions, has established Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM) as the ideal method for analysing these materials atomic resolution. A major hurdle of these techniques is low throughput, requiring deep knowledge of your instrument, calibrations, simulations. This project aims to revolutionise catalyst characterisation by moving beyond analysing a handful of particles to measuring thousands, enabling statistically meaningful results. By combining 4D-STEM with spectroscopy acquisition methods, we aim to capture high-quality data at scale, achieving total characterisation of catalyst nanoparticles to enable a sustainable future.
